Resource Guides

Resource Guides contain a variety of materials that help CPS staff perform quality casework. While the Policy Handbook identifies critical tasks CPS staff must perform to help ensure safety, permanency and well-being for children and families, Resource Guides provide essential information to support CPS staff in efficiently and expertly performing these tasks. These Guides provide important information on a range of topics, for the purpose of assisting and guiding staff to:

• make essential decisions

• develop strategies to address various issues

• perform essential procedures

• understand important processes

• identify and apply best practices

Unlike policy, the actions and approaches presented in the Resource Guides are not mandates. CPS staff should adapt the way they perform critical tasks to the individual needs and circumstances of the children and families with whom they work.

The Resource Guides will eventually include much of the non-policy information removed from the Policy Handbook during the streamlining effort, while also adding new information as it is identified. State office and field staff are working together to identify Resource Guide topics, define the content, and develop the appropriate guides.

The Resource Guides do not contain policy and are separate from the Policy Handbook. They do, however, contain links to relevant sections in the Policy Handbook. There are also links within the Policy Handbook to related Resource Guides.

CPS will regularly post Resource Guides to this page as they are developed. We will also update Resource Guides as needed. Check this page regularly to see new or revised Guides.

We hope these Guides provide useful information to guide and assist CPS staff in effectively performing their job tasks. These Guides, combined with clear and concise policy in the Handbook, should help staff provide a high level of service to children in Texas.